Electric cash and parcel transfer system



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l. Cr'. E. GREEN. ELECTRIC CASE AND PARCEL TRANSFER SYSTEM. No. 338,224. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. E. CREEN. ELECTRIC CASE ENE PARCEL TEANCEEE SYSTEM.

No. 338,224. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. F. GREEN. ELECTRIC CASH AND PARCEL TRANSFER SYSTEM.

No. 338,224. Patented Mar. 16.1886.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. I'. GREEN.

ELECTRIC: GASE AND PARCEL TRANSFER SYSTEM. No. 338,224. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. G. E. GREEN. ELEGTRIG GASH AND PARCEL TRANSFER SYSTEM.

N0. 338,224. l Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

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N PETERS Phuuz-liri'logrspherV Washington. D CA UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. GREEN, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELR, OLIVER S. KELLY, AND SOL. J. HOUOK, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

ELECTRIC CASH AND PARCEL TRANSFER SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,224` dated March 16,1886.

Application filed February 25, 1884. Serial No. 121,952. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Electric VCash and Parcel Transfer Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a system of transro ferring cash and parcels in stores and other places in a car propelled over a track by electricity; and it consistsin the construction and the'combination of parts hereinafter particu larly described, and pointed out and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- V Figure l `is a longitudinal section of a car embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom View with the cash and bundle box removed.

9o Fig. 3 is a top View of the plate or board for the box. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line with the shafts that carry the held-magnets. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the journal-box and coupling for the axles of the engines. Fig. 6

is a perspective of the cash and bundle box. Eig. 7 is a longitudinal section showing the y means for checking the movement of the car. Fig. S is a top View of the same. Fig. 9 is an end View ofthe track, showing the governor 3o applied to the axle, with the frame of the car in dotted lines. Fig. l0 is a diagram of the track. Fig. 1l is a side view-illustrating the manner of transmitting the current from the batteries to the track.

In the said drawings, the letter A desig nates a track, in this instance made in two sections, composed of two rails,a and a,braced by arch-ties B, insulated from the rails by blocks b, and suspended by brackets C from 4o the ceiling of the apartment in which the sys tem is located. At each end ofthe track there is a spring-cushion, D, for the bumper of the car to strike against, and a spring-arm, D', preferably curved, as shown, to shift the switch-bar.

The car is provided with the wheels E, insulated by any suitable material from the axle d, to which they are rigidly attached, and which is journaled in the side pieces of the 5o car-frame. The car is also provided with the Wheels E, which are suitably insulated from their axles e e', and connected with the side pieces of the car-frame by journal-pins F, attached by plates f to saidside pieces, and entering sockets or holes drilled in the ends of the axles. The axles are constructed and journaled as described, in order to strengthen the same and lessen the liability of the same to spring. The inner ends of the axles arejournaled in the fork-arms of a journal-box plate, F', bolted or otherwise secured tothe under side of the car-frame, and the 'same ends of the two axles outside of their journal-bearings are angular in form and connected together by a coupling nut or plate, G, tting in the o forks of thejournal-box, the purpose of so connecting the axles being to enable one engine to assist the other in passing deadpoints in starting.

Rotating armatures, H and H', of ordinary construction, are secured to each axle e e at right angles to each other, and are surrounded by ticld-magnets I I,of any ordinary and suitable forrn, but illustrated as of U form, and the commutators J J/ of said armatures between the same and the j ournal-box are split or made with gaps g g', the gaps of one commutator being at right angles to those of the other, so that the full force of the batteries may be applied to one armature at a time, which will be the one in which the brushpads h h for the time will close the gaps. The brush-pads are secured to the under side ol' the car-frame by screws, so as to be pendent therefrom, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and bear against the commutators.

A switclrbar, K, extending from one end of the car to the other, is pivoted at fi to a crossbeam, i', of the carframe, and at one end has a slot-andpin connection with a bar, K', to 9o the other end of which is pivoted by one end the conducting-arms L `L', which turn upon metallic pivot-points j, projecting from an insulated board, M, attached to the under side of the car-frame. This board is provided with the contact-points 7s k kt' It, and when the switchbar K is moved laterally in one direction it shifts the arms L Lf, so as to break Contact with one set of contact-points and make contact with the other set, and when moved back in the other direction restores the former contactconnection. The switch-bar and the said arms IOO L L' form a switch for reversing the circuit and line of travel of the car.

Plates M' M" are attached to the side pieces of the car-frame and extend into contact with the web or hub of the wheels, and connect by a system of coiiducting-wires, as shown, with the switch and the electric engines, so that the current maybe transmitted from the track to the engine to propel the car, and the circuit reversed by the switch to change the line of travel of the car.

To the aXle d there is connected a governor, N, composed of a collar, Z, sliding on the axle and connected to the balls Z by arms Z2, hinged to said balls and said collar, the balls being connected together by a rod, l, fitted loosely at both ends in the balls, and a spring, Z*, in terposed between and bearing against the eollar and said rod, so as to normally hold said governor closed. The object of this governor is to check the speed of the car by the balls being thrown by centrifugal force against a strap or bar, N', supported over the line of travel of the car from the arch-ties at both ends of the track, or at such other points as may be desired. When the balls are thrown against such bar, they are depressed and pressureis applied through the governor to the axle, so as to brake the revolution of the wheels and thus check the speed of the car. In addition to this governor and cheek-bar to slacken the speed of the car at the end of the track, Iprovide the car at each end with abumper, O, secured to the car-'frame in any suitable inanner to permit it to slide, and cushioned by a coiled or other suitable spring or elastic cushion, O. This bumper will strike against the cushion l) when the car reaches that point, and the concussion will thus be broken.

Brackets l? are attached to the under side of the car-frame, and a spring-actuated roller, P', of an approved and well-known construcf tion, is journaledin them, an d a board or plate, l, secured to them by screws or other means, so as to extend across the space between the two. Cords Q, attached to the roller, pass through openings made therefor in the board or plate l, and have attached to their lower ends aboX or receptacle, R. This box is prei'- erably of rectangular shape, and is formed with compartments o ando', the former being designed for packages or bundles and the latter for cash. Both receptacles preferably have one side hinged, so as to form a drop-door that will be held closed by spring-catches p. To the ends of the box there are secured spring-hooks n, to fit over the edges of the board or plate P, so as to hold the receptacle against lateral swing when the car is in motion. The heads of the catches are beveled sufiiciently to permit the receptacle to be disengaged from said plate by a slight pull on the cord Q', which is secured to the ends of the box, as shown, so as to be pendent from the same. Blocks S are secured to the top of plate or board I at a point that Will bring them under the track-rails, so that in the event of the car jumping the track the blocks will strike against the rails and throw the car back to the track. Y

In order that the car may be reversed in its line of movement at any point between the ends of the track, cords T are attached to one or both ends of the switch, so that by drawing sidewise on said cord the switch will shift the arms L L', thereby changing to the other contact-points and reversing the current.

The track is charged with the current from the battery U, the negative Wire U' thereot connecting with one rail, a, and the positive wire U" with the other rail, a', through the copper plate q, secured t0 the under side of the counter o', and the conductingwire a', leading from said plate to rail c'. The wire U" is suspended below the plate q by means of non-conductiiig loops 1"', connected to the under side ofthe counter.

When the wire U" is pressed against plate q, the circuit is closed, and when released from contact therewith the circuit is broken. It will thus be seen that the wire U", suspended as described, is caused to act as a switch to close or break the circuit.

Vhen the circuit is closed, the current passes from the track through the car-wheels to the plates M", thence through the wires shown to the pivot coiitact-point j, thence through arm L to contact-point k, thence by wire to contact-point Zi, then by main and branch wires, as indicated by arrows l, to the held-magnets, thence through the same and by main and branch wires, as indicated by arrows 2, to contact-point 7a2, thence diagonally across the board toV contact point 77er', thence by arm L to pivot contact-point j', thence by main and branch wires, as indicated by arrows 3, through brush-pad h to commutator J, (the full force being applied to said commutators, because the gaps in the other breaks the circuit,) thence through the other brush, h, by wire, as indicated by arrows 5, to plates M', and thence out through wheels to the other rail of the track.

XVhen the line of travel of the car is to be reversed, the switch-bar is moved to shift the arms L L' from contact-points 7c k', and then the current passes from the track, as before, to contact-point k2, thence by wires marked with arrows 2 to the held-magnets, and after passing through the same, then by wires 1 to coiitact-point k3, to arm L', thence to pivot contact-point j', thence by wire (indicated by arrow 8) to brush-pad h', thence through conimutator J', and through the other brush, h', and by wire (indicated by arrow 5) to plates M', and, through the same, as before, out to the track. 'Y

W'hen a salesman wishes to use a car, he closes the circuit in order to bring the car to IOC IIC

IZO

him and breaks it to stop the car in front of him. He then by the cord draws the box down to him, and after placing therein what he desires, releases the cord,when the springactuated roller returns the box to its place under the car. He then, by means of the cord attached to the switch-bar, shifts the switch and then closes the circuit, when the car travels on tothe cashiers desk V,it being checked in its momentum just before reaching the same by means of the governor and bar already described, and entirely stopped in its forward movement by striking the cushion-stop, the switch being shifted by the switch-bar striking the spring-shifter. The cashier draws down the box, empties it of its contents,when the spring-roller returns it to its position under the car, and the car is then ready to make its return trip as soon as the circuit is closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. The combination of the car, the electric` V the direction of the current through the circuit system, and a projection for said switch to strike against in the movement of the car, Vwhereby the switch is automatically operated, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the track, the car propelled over the same by electricity, the switchbar connected to the car to change the direction of the circuit to reverse the line of travel of the car, and a stop at the end of the track for the switch-bar to strike against to shiftthe switch, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the car,the carryingreceptacle, the spring-actuated roller,the cord connecting said receptacle with the roller, and the covering for said receptacle supported in a fixed position below said roller, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the track,the car propelled over the same by electricity, the governors connected to the car, and a device for said governors to strike against to check the speed of the car, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the track,the car propelled over the same by electricity, the governors connected to the aXle of the car, and the bar suspended above the track for depressing the governors to check the speed of the car, substantially as described.

7. rlhe combination of the car, the carryingreceptacle suspended from said car below the same, the board or plate above said receptacle,

and catch devices for connecting said receptacle and plate or board, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the track, the car, and the stop supportedbeneath the car under the track,to restore the car to the track when it jumps the same, substantially as described.

9. The combination ofthe car, the two-part axles7 the wheels connected thereto, journalboxes in which the inner ends of said axles have their bearing, and the pivotal pins connecting the other ends of said axles with the car-frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. GEORGE E. GREEN. lVitnesses:

.Mains L. Nonnis, Jos. L. CooMBs. 

